THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO PRODUCE EFFECTIVE STABLE MICROEMULSIONS OF LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMINS FOR INTRAVENOUS DELIVERY.

THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO PRODUCE EFFECTIVE STABLE MICROEMULSIONS OF LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMINS FOR INTRAVENOUS DELIVERY. THE ADMINISTRATION OF FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS BECOMES A MEDICAL PROBLEM WHEN DEFICIENCIES IN THESE SUBSTANCES ARE DISPLAYED BY SUBJECTS WITH MALABSORPTION SYNDROME. LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMIN DEFICIENCY IN HUMANS IS MOST OFTEN ENCOUNTERED IN PREMATURE INFANTS AND IN ADULTS OR CHILDREN HAVING ABNORMAL ABSORPTION OF FATS FROM THE INTESTINE. ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ADMINISTRATIONOF A-TOCOPHEROL DUE TO THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRE- MATURE INFANTS IN THE PAST DECADE. ADMINISTRATION OF VITAMIN E IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO COUNTERBALANCE THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF OXYGEN TO THESE NEWBORNS. OXYGEN IS DIRECTLY BENEFICIAL IN TREATING INFANTSWITH HYALINE MEMBRANE DISEASE BUT HAS A SIDE EFFECT OF SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE RETINA. ADEQUATE LEVELS OF VITAMIN E CAN PREVENT THIS; HOWEVER, ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF VITAMIN E TO THESE INFANTS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEONATAL DEATHS. THE CURRENT PRODUCTS FOR SUCH PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION ARE AQUEOUS EMULSIONS WHICH CONTAIN POLYSORBATES AS THE EMULSIFYING AGENT. IN CONTRAST TO THE CONVENTIONAL USE OF SYNTHETIC EMULSIFYING AGENTS, THIS RESEARCH WILL USE A NATURAL AMPHIPATHIC MOLECULE (PHOSPHOLIPID) TO SOLUBILIZE THOSE SUBSTANCES. THEREFORE, THE RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON THEPREPARATION OF STABLE MICROEMULSIONS OF LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMIN E TO STUDY BLOOD TRANSPORT AND METABOLISM OF THE MICRO- EMULSIONS IN ANIMALS. THIS WORK IS CRITICAL TO THE PHASE IIRESEARCH, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE PREPARATION OF MULTI- VITAMIN MICROEMULSIONS AND HUMAN STUDIES.